‘Glee,’ Season 2, Episode 5, ‘Rocky Horror Glee Show’: TV Recap

The singing red lips started us off so well, but how could this “Rocky Horror Glee Show” ever measure up to a ’70s cult classic?

The popcorn was ready; the toilet paper was rolled out a bit; and the antici …. pation(!) was growing for this tribute episode, but like dentist Carl Howell’s entrances, the show was abrupt, uneven, sanitized. The horror!

Inspired by jealousy of Emma’s new beau, the perfectly dentured Carl, Will delivers a “surprise” to Emma that he, too, loved the “Rocky Horror Picture Show.” Too bad he wasn’t the one loosening her up and getting her not to care about spilled soda and to finally eat the crusts off of sandwiches after a midnight showing. He tells her that Glee will be doing the risque musical about a Transylvanian transvestite who wreaks havoc and mayhem on a stranded couple’s relationship.

Rachel and Finn play the awkward couple Janet and Brad in a fun rehearsal number of “Dammit Janet.” Finn got into the four-eyed nebbishness of the character, while being daunted by the fact that he had to expose himself to everyone in his white boxers on opening night. He doesn’t feel too sexy. Rachel, like a good girlfriend, basks in his insecurity and tells him he’s still hot to her. What are they? An old couple?

Sue, after doing “Sue’s Corner” on the local news, is asked to do an expose on the secular infestation about to descend upon McKinley High (something about Mexican terrorist ants) via the “Rocky Horror” musical. Game, she persuades Will to cast her.

Soon after, Carl joins the cast, after being prodded by Sue to take on a role.

Fast-forward to the entrance of the night: Mercedes, who volunteered to be lead of the play as Dr. Frank-N-Furter, delivers an appropriately burlesque seduction of Janet and Brad with “Sweet Transvestite.” I guess springing out Puck from juvie to be the doc wasn’t in the works. He’d have been great in a bustier, corset, heavy makeup and a curly wig. Mercedes, though, God bless her, woke us all up from the timid pacing. Her voice was solid.

What rescued this show from becoming a snoozefest was another seduction scene, that ended with Emma on a shirtless Will, at night in an empty classroom. Like in a scene from a Harlequin novel, Emma plays the vixen, whose siren call “Touch-a, Touch-a, Touch-a, Touch Me” beckons and enslaves the lonely Will, who endures the teasing by simply not breathing. Emma, horrified by her behavior, leaves him in knots, specifically one skinny black tie. Those abs of his, though, can certainly compete with that of the vain Sam. The Situation better watch out.

The high-wire camp ends prematurely, throwing off Sue’s expose, after Will cancels the whole show. He decides he can’t take the risk of using the musical as a vehicle to get close to Emma. As consolation, they do a show just for themselves with “Time Warp.”